Panoramic receiving system



F. W. FRINK PANORAMIC RECEIVING SYSTEM Aug.y 29, 195o 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June '7, 1945 we M W C .n P F nm ww R 3 .D WL@ 6%./ e mm W r I. C l@ l m6 m u Y :L www. a W PN /gy f, F. R: s ,WLM o@ NIJ Y M H zu I Y f Z 5 \\I /IIIIII ||ll|ll v P 5 F 2 Fw1|4fl` (H131 E 2U I 5 W m B 9 R wld A X A X 1 MW 4 MW w @@@m 4@ /.I Il.. 1 R VL WL I? m 1 n 6 Il I Aug. 29, 1950 F. w. FRINK 2,520,138

PANORAMIC RECEIVING SYSTEM Filed June '7, 1945 2 Sheets-Shee'rl 2 INVENTOR. FifDEP/C/f M FFM/fl( @Lig/EY Patented Aug. 29, 1950 U N ITE'D STATES PAT ENT 2,520,138 Y PANQRAMIIC BECEVNQ .SYSTEM Frederick Frink, East yOrange, N. J., assigner to Federal JIlelephone and 'Radio Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware e' e n f Application June 7, 1945,.Se.1'ial No. 538,9;03

(lCl. 2591-251) Systems have been proposed for successively and cyclically scanning two or more frequency bands and for producing on a visual indicator, such as an oscilloscope, indications of stations received within Iany of these frequency bands scanned.

For such systems it is essential that some control arrangement lsynchronized with the scanning be provided for switching in the different frequency `loands to -be scanned and for providing sweep signals on the indicator circuit to correspend with the bands V-loeing scanned. Likewise, means -is required to select any one of the received signals so that its `frequency may '-be precisely indicated. Y

It is Yan object of this invention to -provide a switching system operated synchronously wit-h the tuning of `a panoramic receiver for Koperating the various switching functions thereof.

It is `a further object of -my invention to `-provide means for continuously tuning a receiver over a plurality of frequency lcands and means synchronously operative therewith for switching among the bands and for providing sweep indications for visual display of signals received in these bands.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide an arrangement 4wl'lerein a common oscillator circuit is tuned ycyclically over a given frequency range to covera plurality of band frequencies and in which keying means is provided operated synchronously with the tuning of said oscillator for effecting the switching tothe different wave bands.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a motor drive lfor tuning an oscillator over a predetermined frequency band and to provide a light shutter together with lamps and photocells for producing control energy for enabling radio frequency amplier mixers to receive different frequency bands, providing for dii-ferent displays of the lfrequency bands and .for

`providing an indicator for use on the various sweep circuit displays.

According to a feature of my invention, I may provide a receiver in the form of -separate radio frequency amplifier :mixer .circuits to cover an upper and lower frequency band and having a common oscillator cooperating therewith. The

oscillator frequencies are such :that in .mixing with frequencies of the .received upperband .the resultant frequencies are reduced to the same frequency range as Awould be normally .received in the lower lhand. Inthe'iloweriband circuitlth-e local oscillations mix.-.with the :lower band received signals or the received upper 'band signals to provide a common output intermediate fre`- quency. A drive means such as a motor is used continuously to tune the oscillator over its fre# quency band. synchronously with the drive of the tuning oscillator and preferably at half'tjhe speed thereof, is driven a control means, such as a disc providing 1a light shutter, which serves to produce keying signals for alternately keying into opera-tion said upper and lower lloa'nd amplifier mixer circuits. The same control means may produce a sweep voltage once for each tuned cycle of the oscillator and provide an arrangement for applying the keyingsig-nals to the indicator so that'the two sweeps are displaced in time thereon. The same control means 4driven by -t-he motor also produces a variably positioned reference pulse which may be applied -to the Vsweep circuit amplier for -the purpose of producinganadjustalole gap `in 'the tuninglines or may -he applied to the vertical deiiecting plate ofthe system -to provide a `step or offset in the waveband indication.

A better understanding Yof my invention and the objects and features thereof maygloe had from the particular description of an' emhodiment thereof made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. -l is a-blockschematic diagram of La circuit incorporating the features of my invention;

Fig n2 is a view of the control disc which may be used for generating the various control sig,- nals;

Fig'. B'jis a, graphical ,illustration of the v olt- @geSVRlQdllCed Ql' ltlh@ .VaQuS Switching .CQQVQIS inl-the receiver of =1; and

Fig. 4 is an illustration ofthe indicator 4in an alternative switched position vof the reference pulse Vindicator circuit.

Turning rst to Fig-f1, there vare provided two radio frequency ampliermixer circuits I and 2 for receiving -signal energy in an upper and Alower bandrespectively. Atunable oscillator 3 isassociated withamplier-mixers I and? so that during the -sweep -in the upper |band, energy from oscillator 13serves `to reduce the output energy in line 4 to thesame-waveband as Wouldzbereceived normally in amplier rmixer 2. This energy is then .again ybeatwith the .energylfrom .oscillator 3 inthe mixerstage of `2 -to reducethe energy ,to a common intermediate frequency. For thelower band reception, .energy `:from -oscillator 3 .beats directly with ythe received 4signals :in 2 `reducing them to thesame intermediate rfrequency so that the outputs vfrom jeither .amplifier .mixer ,i .or -2 mayl'oe amplified .in aommon .intermediate.re-

quency amplier 5. The intermediate frequency from amplifier may be then detected in a detector 6 and applied over audio frequency amplifier 1 and coupler 8 to the vertical defiecting plates 3 of a cathode ray oscillograph l0. A motor I I through the medium of shaft I2 serves to tune oscillator' 3 through the desired frequency band to produce the selective output. Carried on shaft I2 of motor I I is a control disc I3 which is driven at the speed of the tuning control of oscillator 3 which may comprise a variable condenser rotor. This variable condenser may be of the type in which a balanced symmetrical rotor cooperates with two stators to cause the frequency to vary from minimum to maximum twice during each revolution. A lamp I4 and photocell I5 associated with disc I3 serve to produce rectangular pulses which are applied over line I6 to keyer I1 and from there to amplifier mixers I and 2 over lines I8 and I9 to control their blocking. As seen in Fig. 2 disc I3 may carry a slot 20 which isin the form of a semicircle so that an output Wave in the form shown in Fig. 3, curve a, will be produced. This wave will serve alternately to block i and 2 as above described. It will thus be seen that each time oscillator 3 sweeps through its frequency range either the output of the upper band amplifier mixer I or lower band amplifier mixer 2 will be applied through the circuit arrangement tothe vertical deflecting plates 9 of indicator I0.

.An arrangement consisting of a lamp 2I and photocell 22 cooperates with slots 23 and 24 in disc I3 to produce sweep waves in accordance with peaks 25 and 26 Vof curve b. These output vwaves may be amplied in sweep amplifier 21 and applied over a conducting lead 28 to the horizontal deflecting plates 29 of indicator I0. These sweep voltage waves will thus sweep the beam across the face of indicator Ii) in time corresponding to the frequency changes in oscillator 3. Simultaneously with the switching of the radio frequency amplifier mixers into upper and lower band blocking relationships, keyer I1 applies volttages over line 33 and coupler 8 to vertical defiecting plates 9 so as to displace the sweep lines 3| and 32 vertically on the face of indicator I0 corresponding with the upper and lower side band indications respectively.

Another arrangement comprising a lamp 33 and a photocell 34 is associated with disc I3. The slots provided in the periphery of the disc and lamp 33 cooperate with the two alternately shuttering portions 35 and 36 serving to generate a rectangular wave of the general form indicated in line c of Fig. 3. This` additional wave may be considered as a reference pulse voltage. Lamp 33 and photocell 34 are mounted for relative rotary positioning with respect to disc I3 under control of a tuning knob 31 and drive shaft 38 which may be also further adjusted -for liner control by a Vernier tuning knob 39. Knob 31 has a pointer IS and a scale 4I associated therewith so that the tuning position corresponding to the adjustment of knob 31 will be indicated on the scale and pointer. The reference pulse generated in photocell 34 may be applied to reference pulse amplifier 42 and over a'switch 43 alternatively to sweep amplifier 21 or to audio. frequency amplier 1. In the position shown, switch 43 is associated with sweepramplier 21 so that the output reference pulse will be combined with the sweep voltage to provide a combined sweep curve as shown in d, Fig. 3. Because of the steep side of the pulses ofcurve cthey will, when added to the sweep voltage, cause an abrupt acceleration of the beam along lines 3l and 32 producing effectively gaps in the sweep lines as indicated at 44 and 45. By adjusting tuning knob 31 and the associated lamp 33 and tube 34, the position of the reference pulse may be varied as indicated by the dotted line portions shown at 46 (Fig. 3)

in curves c and d. Thus the gap may be adjusted longitudinally of the sweep lines 3l and 32 to correspond with a predetermined received signal.

The received signals may comprise, for instance, pulses 41, 48 and 43 in the upper band and 50 and 5I in the lower band as illustrated. By aligning the gap or indicator with the desired pulse such as 48 for example, the pulse will be substantially broadened Vso that it maybe quite readily determined that the adjustment is such as to align it with this pulse. Therefore, the frequency of the pulse may be quite accurately determined by means of pointer 40 and scale 4I.

When switch 43 is turned into its alternative Y switching position, the reference pulses such as shown at c are combined in audio frequency amplii'ier 1 so that they Ywill produce a further vertical deflection or step in the sweep lines as can be more readily seen in Fig. 4. This produces a bend or knee in the curves or sweep lines 3| and 32 as shown at 52 and 53 which may be adjusted along the sweep lines in the same manner as-the gaps 44 and 45 are adjusted. This form of indication is preferable when considerable noise is present since it is dilcult to see the gapV in the trace line when the trace line is deflected by considerable noise energy. Accordingly, kadjustment for tuning position may be rst made roughly with the switch in the position to apply the reference -pulses to the vertical deiiecting plates and when a station such as 48 has been substantially selected by this method, the switch may be turned to its alternative position to produce the acceleration of the bea-m at this pointand the consequent widening of the pulse for the more precise tuning of the system.

As will be noted from the curves shown in Fig. 3, the sweep voltage potentials 25 and 25 are effective for only substantially half the time. Accordingly, it is desirable that the cathode ray oscillograph beambe eiective only during these sweep periods. This may be accomplished in accordance with my invention by providing a blocking generator 5d which may be coupled for example to theoutputof sweep amplifier 21 and applying the voutput blocking wave from this generator to a contr-ol grid 55 on indicator I0. Thus, control grid 55 is maintained blocked during the` interval between the sweep pulse applications 25 and 2S. y Y

`As described above,- a speciccircuit arrangement has beenshown in connection with the system of the present invention. YIt should be clear, however, that many modications of the system may be made consistent'with my invention by tion ofmy invention as set -forth in the objectsv thereof and in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A receiver system comprising two iiXed circuits and a tunable local oscillator, said two circuits operative over separate frequency bands, means for coupling said local oscillator to said circuits to produce in a common output a given intermediate frequency for both said bands, driving means for tuning said local oscillator over its given frequency range in a given cycle, switching means controlled by said driving means for producing a blocking wave having a period timed with the periods of the local oscillator tuning for alternately controlling said circuits whereby said receiver alternately responds to signals in said frequency bands, means cooperating with said switching means for producing sweep voltages synchronized with said tuning periods, means adjustably cooperating with said switching means for producing indicator voltages corresponding in duration with said sweep voltages, an oscilloscope indicator having vertical and horizontal beam deflecting means, means for coupling sweep voltage producing means to said horizontal deflecting means to produce horizontal sweeps of said beam, means for coupling the blocking voltage source to said vertical plates to provide vertical displacement of alternate sweeps, means for coupling the intermediate frequency to said vertical plates to provide indications of signals received in either of said bands, and means for coupling the indicator voltage source alternatively to said vertical or said horizontal plates to produce a vertical displacement break or an effective acceleration gap in said sweeps corresponding to the adjustment of said indicator voltage producing means.

2. A receiver system comprising two fixed circuits and a tunable local oscillator, said two circuits operative over separate frequency bands, means for coupling said local oscillator to said circuits and said circuits together to produce in a common output a given intermediate frequency over both said bands, a motor for tuning said local oscillator over its given frequency range in a given cycle, shutter means driven by said motor,

first photo-electric means cooperating with said shutter means for producing a blocking wave having a period timed with the periods of the local oscillator tuning for alternately blocking said circuits whereby said circuits alternately respond to signals in their respective frequency bands, second photo-electric means cooperating with said shutter means for producing sweep voltages synchronized with said tuning periods, a third photo-electric means adjustably c-ooperating with said shutter means for producing indicator voltages corresponding in duration with said sweep voltages, and oscilloscope indicator having vertical and horizontal beam defiecting means, means for coupling sweep voltage producing means to said horizontal deflecting means to produce horizontal sweeps of said beam, means for coupling the blocking voltage source to said vertical plates to provide Vertical displacement -of alternate sweeps, means for coupling the intermediate frequency output to said vertical plates to provide indications of signals received in either of said bands, and means for coupling the indi cator voltage source tcsaid vertical plates to produce a vertical displacement break in said sweeps corresponding to the adjustment of said third photo-electric means.

3. A receiver system comprising two Xed ampliiier mixer circuits and a tunable local oscillator, said two circuits operative over separate frequency bands, means for coupling said local oscillator to said circuits and said two circuits together to produce in a common output a given intermediate irequency over both said bands, a motor for tuning said local oscillator over its given frequency range in a given cycle, shutter means driven by said motor, rlrst photo-electric means cooperating with said shutter means for producing a blocking wave having a period timed with the periods of the local oscillator tuning for alternately blocking said circuits whereby said circuits alternately respond to signals in their respective frequency bands, second photo-electric means cooperating with said shutter means for producing sweep voltages synchronized with said tuning periods, a third photo-electric means adjustably ccoperating with said shutter means for producing indicator voltages corresponding in duration with said sweep voltages, an oscilloscope indicator having vertical and horizontal beam deecting means, means for coupling sweep voltage producing means to said horizontal deflecting means to produce horizontal sweeps of said beam, means for coupling the blocking voltage source to said Vertical plates to provide vertical displacement of alternate sweeps, means for coupling the intermediate frequency output to said vertical plates to provide indications of signals received in either of said bands, and means for coupling the indicator voltage source to said horizontal plates to produce an effective acceleration gap in said sweeps corresponding to the adjustment of said third photo-electric means.

FREDERICK W. FRINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,031,639 Finch Feb 25, 1936 2,279,151 Wallace Apr. 7, 1942 2,300,189 Wolf Oct. 7, 1943 2,347,977 Lieshout May 2, 1944 2,367,907 Wallace Jan. 23, 1945 2,378,604 Wallace June 19, 1945 2,416,346 Potter Feb. 25, 1947 2,465,500 Wallace Mar. 29, 1949 

